Texans take biggest stage eager to excel in prime time

The undefeated Texans are hardly an overlooked team around the NFL, but Monday night, any fan or observer who hasn’t seen them will get a good look.

“It’s a chance to show we’re for real,” inside linebacker Brian Cushing said. “The chance to play on Monday night is always a special opportunity.

“I think a lot of America’s been watching to see if we’re legit or not, but we feel that we’ll prove it.”

Strange things can happen in prime time and have for the Texans (4-0), who have struggled with that spotlight, especially on the road. But they don’t believe in the concept of a trap game against the New York Jets (2-2). They are ready to handle what comes.

“The only trap I’ve ever been in is when you play bad, you get beat,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “If that’s a trap, then every week is a trap. Like I said, our talk with our team is if we play good, we’ve got a chance to win.”

Monday night’s game seems about as lopsided as is possible in the NFL. The Jets lost their top cornerback, Darrelle Revis, one of the best in the NFL, to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Holding out hope for his return, the Jets placed him on injured reserve, but they did not do so with top receiver Santonio Holmes, who suffered a season-ending foot injury last week.

Additionally, tight end Dustin Keller and rookie receiver Stephen Hill are unlikely to play; they were listed as doubtful on the injury report. The Jets picked up receiver Jason Hill, who was a free agent, to help their numbers at the position.

Jets in turmoil
Last weekend, the Jets lost 34-0 to the San Francisco 49ers, heightening the tension surrounding the franchise.

Despite all that, Texans left tackle Duane Brown also dismissed the idea of a trap game.

“They’re hearing about everything that’s going on,” Brown said. “I’m sure they’re looking to make a statement. We’re preparing as we do for every game. We’re not looking at it any other way.”

It would behoove the Texans not to, despite their being eight-point favorites.

The franchise had one prime-time game in 2011 (a 19-16 loss at Indianapolis) after going 0-3 in prime time in 2010, when they were thought to be a rising team but went 6-10.

They have lost their last five night games and are 0-5 all-time in prime-time road games.

“I don’t think you can think about it too much,” Brown said. “You have to approach every week as a regular work week. You can’t think, ‘Oh, it’s a Monday night game,’ and let your jitters get to you. You’ve got to be ready to perform.

“Personally, I like the challenge of knowing that the whole nation is talking to you. I like knowing that you’re the only game on TV.”

The routine changes for teams preparing for Monday night games, but the Texans made an effort to keep it as regular as possible in the week leading up to the game.
On the day of the

game, players have more time between waking up and playing, but coaches make sure they stay occupied.

“You play a lot of football,” Kubiak said. “Four preseason, 16 regular-season games — that’s a lot of ball. And you have a lot of young players that get to Week 10, and they’ve already played a college season, and they’re halfway.

Stay on even keel
“I think that’s always a challenge in pro football, and that’s why you’re always looking for professional-type guys. Guys that handle their business are kind of the same all the time, not real up or down.”

Guys such as center Chris Myers, whose anticipation for the game against New York has nothing to do with when it is or where it is and everything to do with what it will feel like.

“It may be about 50 degrees out,” Myers said. “That’s the only thing I’m paying attention to. I enjoy a cool game.”